Seawolves win AFL opener

Published on September 28th by Jon MacNeill of the Telegraph Journal

FREDERICTON – Any doubts lingering about the newly formed Atlantic Football League were put to rest Saturday night.

The University of New Brunswick Saint John and its counterpart in Fredericton battled to a thrilling finish in the league’s opening game in the Capital City before an estimated crowed of 2,300 people.

The Seawolves pulled ahead in the final frame on a field goal play to edge the Red Bombers 16-14 in a game with intensity and excitement that bodes well for the three-team loop.

“That’s basically a storybook finish right there,” said an elated Justin Cavan, the Seawolves running back, who had both the squad’s touchdowns.

“It’s an historic event, Fredericton hasn’t had a team in 30 years, it was Saint John’s first game and we couldn’t ask for a better ending.”

Cavan gave the Seawolves a 6-0 lead one-minute and 40 seconds into the second quarter off a stunning 45-yard punt return that appeared as if it wouldn’t get off the ground at all.

“I dropped (the ball) and looked up and (the Red Bomber defender) was beaming towards me. So I left it on the ground, waited for him to get about five yards away, stepped aside and he went right by,” Cavan said.

Wide receiver Andrew Hubbard answered for the Red Bombers in the next series, reeling in a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brendan Cornford after handling a 25-yard pass to put the Bombers in striking distance.

Zac Cann kicked the extra point for a narrow 7-6 lead.

With 16 seconds left in the half the Seawolves’ Tim Jackson returned a punt to the 31-yard line to set up a dramatic ending of the first 30 minutes.

“We can run three plays here, we’ve got the time and time outs,” head coach Dave Grandy told his players on the sidelines.

But they only needed one, as quarterback Jeremy McAulay found Cavan in the end zone and John Phillips kicked the extra point for a 13-7 game.

The Red Bombers narrowed the deficit in the third quarter with a rouge from Cann and took the lead in the final session as short yardage specialist Josh MacArthur plunged through the line to make it 14-13.

The Seawolves had other plans, however, driving hard for 50 yards using runs from Jackson, Eoin MacIntyre and Chris Moore and a couple of receptions from Joel Seale to put the team within field goal range.

“They mounted a nice little drive at the end,” Red Bombers co-head coach Mike Dollimore said.

“We tried to put a lot of pressure on them with some blitzes to stave off the pass … but they gained a couple of crucial first downs and it kept their drive alive.”

Phillips sent the pigskin soaring against the wind and through the uprights with 28 seconds remaining to turn the tide for good.

“When the clock is ticking down you have a decision of going for the punt for a rouge or field goal for the win,” Grandy said.

“Well, you know what? I’m about trying to win the game and John kept his head down and kicked it right though the uprights.”

The Seawolves travel to Moncton next Friday to take on the Moncton Raiders at 8 p.m. at Rocky Stone Field.